Hinata et le Eiffel
by muchoblidged
Summary: Naruto and Hinata go on an innocent trip to Paris over summer vacation and uncover new feelings and dark pasts. Pairing/s/: NarutoxHinata A/U
1. Un Séjour Simple en France

"No way!" Sakura snapped.

"But why not Sakura? It's _France_! Besides, I've already bought the second ticket!" Naruto cried, waving the two pieces of paper in her face. Sakura batted his hand away.

"No means no, Naruto!" Sakura shouted. Naruto stiffened.

"Sakura, is it because of -"

"Yes it is. It is because of him." Sakura interrupted coldly. "Now leave me alone." Naruto sighed and watched her walk away before looking around to see if one of his friends was near. His face lit up as he spotted a familiar face.

"Hinata!"

The dark-haired girl turned and smiled at the boy running towards her.

"N-Naruto!" She stuttered. Her face colored slightly and she looked down at her carefully polished school shoes. "It-it's great that school is out, right?" Naruto grinned.

"Yeah! It's awesome. Hey Hinata - do you want to go on a trip with me?" Hinata looked up, more blood rising to her face.

"Wh-what?" She exclaimed.

"Well...I was thinking you might want to go on a trip with me. I'm going to France to study for the summer. Would you like to come?" Naruto waved the ticket for emphasis. Hinata's face became even redder.

"I-I..." Hinata swallowed. _I'd love to Naruto-kun! A whole summer with you in France - it's more than I could ever hope for!_ She thought. Hinata open her mouth to reply but suddenly her father's stern face jumped into her mind. "I-I..." Naruto began giving her a concerned look.

"Hinata? Are you okay?" He put a hand on her forehead. "Do you have a summer cold?" Hinata took a couple steps back and shook her head.

"N-no it's just - I just -" Hinata turned around. "I need to ask my father!" She cried. Naruto watched her run for a few moments before looking around for someone else.

"Hey! Kiba!" Naruto called.

--

Neji noticed Hinata standing awkwardly in front of a conference room where her father Hiashi was having a meeting. "Miss Hinata?" He called. Hinata jumped, a blush rising to her face.

"N-Neji!" She stuttered. Neji walked over to her.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Waiting for my father to come out. I have to ask him something." Hinata murmured.

"He should be out any min-" At that moment the door burst open. Hinata jumped out of the way at the last second. Neji stood very still and tried to look presentable.

"A pleasure doing business with you, gentlemen." Hiashi said calmly, shaking hands with the various businessmen as they filed out of the room. "Please, don't be a stranger to the Hyuuga household." The men grinned and returned his smiles. Hiashi turned around and closed the door behind the last businessman. "Neji? Hinata? What is this?" Hinata clasped her hands and twiddled her thumbs.

"Ah...um...Father, I..." Hiashi glanced at Neji and motioned for him to leave. Neji bowed slightly and exited. "Er, I..." Hinata glanced up at her father and noticed him growing impatient. "Well I - I was hoping maybe I could go to France this summer." Hiashi raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Uzumaki Naruto invited me -"

"No! Unacceptable!" Hiashi bellowed. Hinata froze at his harsh tone. "He is a filthy plebian from a lowly slum!"

"He's not from a slum!" Hinata cried. "And - and he lives in the same prefecture as us and he lives in the city now so -" Hiashi took a step towards Hinata and pierced her with a fierce glare.

"Uzumaki Naruto is a idiotic, overactive _peasant_ and I will _not_ allow my daughter to go traipsing all over the world with him. If it were not for the fact that the high school you go to is one of the finest in the region, I would transfer you somewhere where that _tramp_ was not." Hiashi narrowed his eyes. "Is that clear?" He turned and walked away without waiting for Hinata's answer.

Hinata nodded slowly and walked in the opposite direction.

--

"I can't go." Hinata murmured.

"What?" Naruto cried. "Oh, your father -"

"Yes." Hinata almost dropped the phone, her hands were trembling so much.

"Hinata, if you can come I'll wait for you until the plane starts to board. Flight 327 Gate Four, okay?" Hinata inhaled shakily.

"I'm very sorry, Naruto." She hung up quickly and let the phone fall to the floor. Trying not to cry, Hinata clenched a fist, grabbed her coat and ran outside.

Hinata took a long walk through the city, pausing for a while in front of their high school. She noticed Sakura also staring at the high school from a distance and she smiled, happy to see one of her fellow classmates. "Sakura!" Hinata called. Sakura didn't seem to notice her so Hinata went closer. "Sakura?" She asked. Sakura looked at Hinata, startled.

"Hinata! You surprised me." Hinata didn't say anything. Ever since Uchiha Sasuke disappeared the pink-haired teenager had seemed distant. "I heard that Naruto asked you to go to France with him."

"I can't." Hinata said, the frustration and sorrow welling up inside her. Sakura cocked her head.

"Why not? I though you liked Naruto." Hinata gave a small squeak and looked around to see if anyone had heard. Sakura grinned. "It's a bit obvious." Hinata bowed her head, ashamed.

"My father told me -"

"Your father?" Sakura shouted. Hinata jumped back, not expecting such an outburst. Sakura drew herself up to her full height. "If you love someone, _no one_ should get in your way of being with that person." Sakura's eyes softened. "No one." She repeated, her hand closing on the small piece of paper in she held. Hinata stared at Sakura for a few minutes in silence.

"Y-yes..." Hinata whispered.

--

Hinata shoved another pair of shorts into the suitcase. Her father had only been slightly suspicious when she'd told him she was going to stay at the summer house for the vacation. After a short lecture about Naruto, being obedient and her duties as the heir to the Hyuuga throne he left her to pack. Hinata sighed as she yanked the zippers on the suitcase together. She checked her carry-on bag on more time and nodded, pushing some hair out of her face. _Please Naruto, _Hinata thought desperately, _wait for me._

_--  
_

Naruto groaned, still unhappy that he had wasted money on an extra ticket. "_Crap_." He moaned. After Sakura's denial and Hinata's acceptance-of-sorts he had refunded the ticket and gotten one for Hinata after everyone had refused.

Over the loudspeaker a female voice announced "Flight 327 leaving for Paris is now boarding."

Hinata glanced up at the large black board showing the flights. _No!_ She thought. The security guard looked at her. "You're not going to make that, you know." He said. Hinata shook her head.

"I have to!" She cried. Hinata grabbed her bag and shoes as soon as they appeared from behind the veil of rubber flaps and ran.

Naruto looked around and sighed. _I wonder if she was even telling the truth about her father not letting her go._

"Naruto!" He turned and grinned.

"Hinata!" She ran to him and bent over panting. Naruto put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you're here." He said warmly. Hinata gasped for air, her face growing hot. A flight attendant tapped Naruto on the shoulder.

"Sir? The plane is boarding now." She said. Naruto nodded and gripped Hinata's arm.

"Come on!" He tugged her along. Hinata stumbled and bumped into him.

"S-sorry." She whispered. Naruto grinned.

"It's okay." He let go of her arm so they could board the plane. Hinata looked around the room one last time. She knew Hiashi wasn't there but she had never disobeyed him like this. Her whole body was on edge. When they sat down, Naruto looked at her. Hinata noticed him staring and met his eyes slowly.

"Wh-what is it?" She asked, her voice quiet. Naruto put a hand on her forehead.

"Calm down." He said softly. "It's okay." Hinata bowed her head.

"R-right." She stammered. The tension ebbed away as the plane took off. Hinata felt herself smiling.

_Naruto..._

_--  
_

Hinata stared up at the hotel. With a sharp crack, a green tile fell from the roof to her feet. Its white-washed walls, which were now more brownish than white, had spidery cracks snaking along their surface. Dying vines clung to it. The wooden door's iron handle was more rust than metal. Hinata frowned. "N-naruto..." She sighed. Naruto grabbed her arm.

"It's okay! The place is cheap and it's really great inside! I promise!" He cried. Naruto half-dragged her up the stairs after pausing briefly to sign in at the reception desk. Finally he opened the door to their room. The wallpaper was torn and underneath the once white walls were now beige from dirt and wear. Water damage had caused fingers of mildew to creep out of the molding and onto the ceiling. But Hinata barely noticed these things. She ran to the window. The frame was rusty and the reddish-brown bars made curling designs on the glass.

"The Eiffel Tower." She whispered excitedly. She whirled around to face Naruto. "It's the Eiffel Tower Naruto!" Naruto grinned and leaned out the window.

"That's why I chose this place - the view is killer." He turned to face Hinata. "Well?" Hinata's face colored but from excitement, not shy embarrassment.

"It's great Naruto!" Hinata clasped her hands. "It's absolutely amazing."

The room was small and it only had two sections: the main room and a small curtained nook that held a shower, toilet and sink which survived as a bathroom. The furnishings including a bed, a black and white antenna television, a hot plate, a table, a dresser and a coat hanger. Hinata took the bed and Naruto slept near the bathroom on the other side of the room. The trip was largely so Naruto could get better at his foreign language, French. He did odd jobs to keep up the rent and get travel money. Hinata took up work in a local flower shop to keep herself busy. The trip was relatively quiet and occasionally Naruto and Hinata would go to a nearby restaurant which, as Hinata would try to tell herself, was not date. Things were quiet and carefree. Naruto was beginning to feel something growing between them; something stronger than mere friendship...


	2. Bonne Nuit

Back in Japan, Neji posed a question for his uncle: "Lord Hiashi," Neji began during a clan lunch. Hiashi met Neji's eyes. "Why don't you want Hinata and Naruto to..." Neji paused, searching for the words, "_be together_." Hiashi swallowed and put down his chopsticks.

"Neji, I will tell you something but you must promise not to tell this to anyone else." Hiashi said solemnly. Neji nodded.

"Yes, of course Lord Hiashi."

Hiashi cleared his throat quietly. "Naruto's father was the governor of the prefecture." Neji froze in shock.

"Namikaze Minato!" He whispered.

"Yes. Namikaze had a habit of taking care of criminals in the prefecture first hand and when the criminal known as 'The Kyuubi' broke out of the Uchiha Prison, he went to fight it. But you know all this." Hiashi sipped some tea and continued. "Namikaze was seen with a child during the fight but few people know that child was son. That is where Naruto gained the scars on his jaw. 'The Kyuubi' was apprehended but Namikaze died during the fight. Some say that the blood shed during that fight has infected Naruto with the Kyuubi's vicious spirit." Hiashi gave Neji a stern look. "I'm not a superstitious person but I do know there's a dark side to Naruto - a violent side. And if and when that side comes out, I want my daughter to be nowhere near him." A leader of a lesser clan branch approached Hiashi and greeted him with a low bow. Hiashi turned away from Neji with a slight nod and began talking with the lesser clan branch leader. Neji left the table quietly.

"Hinata..." He sighed. "Please; don't go to France..."

--

"So Hinata," Naruto said as they stared out at the flickering lights of central Paris, "what do you think of the trip?" Hinata smiled at Naruto, a soft blush rising to her cheeks.

"It's wonderful Naruto." She whispered. "I'm so grateful I could come." Naruto smiled.

"Y'know," he laughed, "I almost brought Sakura but she was so hung up over Sasuke she wouldn't come!" Hinata turned away from the view and stared at Naruto.

"Wh-what?" She murmured.

"I know! What was I thinking?" Naruto grinned.

"No!" Hinata cried. Naruto turned to face her, finally hearing the distress in her voice.

"Hinata?" He asked, taking a step towards her. "What's wrong?"

"I-I-I'm j-just s-some silver medal Sakura replacement?" She exclaimed, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "Y-you only chose me b-because I was second-best - y-you didn't th-think I was any better than some girl who d-doesn't even care about you? Who is s-so in love with someone who sh-she may never see again that she can't p-pay attention to anyone else? You-you think I'm no better than _that_?"

Naruto gaped at Hinata and took another step. "N-no! Hinata! I - it's not like that!" He protested. Hinata pushed him away.

"Yes it is Naruto! It always was like that!" Hinata looked at him, a sudden somber calm falling over her. "And it a-always will be." Naruto opened his mouth to reply but Hinata cut him off. "No. Don't waste your words on second-best." She stormed out of the apartment leaving Naruto to realize what he had done.

--

"Lord Pein."

The criminal turned at the mention of his name. His subordinate Zetsu knelt before him. Brushing off his black jacket slightly he nodded to the man in recognition. "Yes?"

"I've located Hyuuga Hinata in Paris. Should we move in?"

"Yes. Go."

Zetsu nodded. "Roger."

"Lord Pein." Pein turned. His partner Konan stepped out of the shadows. "Are you sure this will work? Hyuuga Hinata is with Uzumaki -"

"Uzumaki Naruto is a capable fighter but he won't be able to defeat our team. Besides, the ransom Hyuuga Hiashi will pay will be most beneficial to our cause. Uzumaki Naruto will even be a bonus - yet one more fighter to make our weapon." Pein replied coolly.

"Should I follow them?" Konan asked. Pein shook his head.

"I'd like to talk to you - face to face."

Konan bowed. "Yes, Lord Pein."

--

Naruto put on a burst of speed. The dilapidated bike was barely able to make it through his daily commute but he wanted to suprise Hinata by picking her up. He had gotten cinnamon rolls which he had just recently found out was her favorite food. He couldn't lose her - not after all they had been through; not after the way she had made him feel. He saw Hinata standing at the bus stop on the edge of the small suburb. A dark figure was walking towards her, barely visible in shadows. As Naruto drew closer he noticed more encroaching on her. "Hinata!" He shouted. She turned but it was too late. Two men stepped out of their cover of darkness and grabbed her. Her shrill scream pierced the night and aroused something deep and feral in Naruto - something from his muddled past that was never supposed to be known. The bike's tires popped loudly and he spun into the curb as the bike flew out from under him, it's tires flat. Naruto struggled to his feet, bruised but not seriously injured. One of the men held a knife to his throat.

"Don't move." He said in fluent Japanese. Naruto felt himself tensing. Something wasn't right. He had felt anger before, even rage but this was a new emotion. It went deeper than human reason or even the human mind at all. Deep in his heart something was stirring. "If you move, I'll cut out your voice box."

_Bloodlust._

"Naruto!" Hinata screamed. The knife-wielding man pushed the blade into the handle, pocketed the weapon and grabbed Naruto's neck.

"Hey Itachi!" He shouted. "What do I do with this one?" Naruto looked up. The name was familiar.

"Get him out of the way. He'll come." One of the men holding Hinata called back. The man holding Naruto grinned.

"You heard the man." He tightened his grip on Naruto's neck, cutting off the oxygen and carried him over a wall. "_Bonne nuit._" He chuckled and with one sweep of his arm slammed Naruto into the building. Naruto's vision cut out before he fell unconscious but he could still hear Hinata's screams as they pulled her farther and farther from him.


	3. Enfin

_WAKE._

Naruto blinked. This was a dream. It had to be. He was standing ankle-deep in water and staring at gate. He vaguely remembered being here before. Once he had been falling and he had been transported here. He survived obviously but he didn't remember much. Sometimes he was transported here when he was angry during a losing fight but he could never quite recall what happened.

_WAKE STUPID HUMAN._

Naruto looked around. "Who are you?" He shouted. Two eyes and a set of grinning, pointy teeth appeared behind the gate.

_I'M THE KYUUBI, AS PEOPLE CALL ME._

Naruto frowned. "The...Kyuubi? The criminal?" The grin broadened showing black gums.

_THE ONE AND ONLY._

"Why am I here?" He demanded.

_YOU NEED TO SAVE THAT GIRL, I'M ASSUMING. YOU CAN SEND ME ON MY WAY BUT I DOUBT YOU WANT TO WAKE UP RIGHT NOW. IT'S NOT A PLEASANT SENSATION TO WAKE UP AFTER CONTACT WITH A BRICK WALL._

"You can help me save Hinata?" Naruto shouted. The eyes narrowed mischievously.

_OF COURSE. I'M THE MIGHTY KYUUBI. JUST LET GO. LEAVE THIS TO ME._

Naruto closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

"Okay." He sighed.

--

As the Kyuubi took over, Naruto felt himself drifting farther and farther away from reality. Occasionally his consciousness would awaken from his daze and a few fleeting sensations would grasp him: pain, anger, the overwhelming stench of blood. But before he could grasp the situation, the Kyuubi submerged him again. Naruto drifted in the recesses if his mind, weightless in a black void. No thoughts came to him - he was empty. For some indefinable amount of time he remained like this until he realized what was going on and it frightened him. He wrestled control of his senses and the flood of raw, animalistic feelings shocked him - pain was foremost but somehow ignorable as others rammed into his consciousness.

_YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HERE, HUMAN. _The Kyuubi's voice warned him. Naruto willingly withdrew into the nothingness, eager to be shielded from the onslaught of his senses and he waited there for a sign, a sound - something that would show it was okay to awaken.

"Akatsuki! _Venir dehors avec vos mains vers le haut_! Come out with your hands up!" A metallic voice blared.

The battle froze. The Kyuubi seeped away into the depths of Naruto's consciousness as Naruto struggled to regain control. Once he had subdued the Kyuubi, he looked around. It seemed to be some sort of warehouse. Tall metal structures held large wooden crates. The warehouse was swathed in graffiti and litter, mostly broken crates and papers. The Akatsuki were already gone. Hinata sat in a chair in the center of the room, gagged and bound. Naruto approached her slowly but he stopped when he saw the look in her eyes. It was one of pure terror - one he had seen all too many times before. "Hinata..." He choked out. She stopped trembling but she still watched him with wary, fearful eyes. "Hinata, please...it's me...Naruto." He took another step. "Don't...don't be afraid." He knelt down and untied her ankles, then her wrists and finally he undid the rope around her torso which tied her to the chair. Hinata stood and Naruto removed the gag from her mouth. She fell onto him and Naruto stumbled back, surprised.

"Naruto!" She moaned into his shirt, grabbing fistfuls of cloth. As Hinata screamed muffled, dry sobs into his chest, Naruto stood stiff. He didn't know if she was relieved or furious or if he should apologize or hold her tightly. The authorities broke down the door and poured into the room. They searched the area and asked Naruto and Hinata on what had happened. The two were taken to the police station where they were interrogated and, eventually, let go.

Hinata and Naruto held hands as they left the station. Naruto stopped once they had gotten onto the sidewalk. The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. Hinata turned and looked at him. "Naruto?" She asked. Naruto wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair.

"I love you." He murmured. Hinata blushed deeply and tried to breathe. Naruto let her go slowly as though he didn't want to. He looked her in the eye. Hinata was astonished to see he too was blushing. "Do you love me?" Hinata bit her lip and shook her head, tears running down her face. Gently, she kissed him and met his gaze again.

"How could you even ask, Naruto?" She sighed, taking his hands. Hinata titled her head to the side slightly and smiled softly. "Of course I do."

--

Sakura lay on her bed, willing herself not to look at the picture of Sasuke on her dresser. She knew it would only make her break into tears again and her mother was tired of hearing her constant sobbing. Sakura bit her lip and sat up, reaching for the piece of paper. _I won't cry this time._ She told herself. _I promise._

Before she could touch the photograph, her cell phone rang. Sakura stared at it. It could be Ino but Sakura had thrown herself into her schoolwork so vehemently she had little time for friends. Sakura picked up the phone. The call was from a pay phone and the phone number was strange - it wasn't formatted like a Japanese number. It was from a different country entirely. She opened the phone with shaking hands, pressed the talk button and held it to her ear. "He-hello?" She stammered.

"Sakura?"

Her breath caught in her throat.

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah."

It _was _him! Sakura resisted the urge to scream.

"Where are you?"

"Paris. Can you...can you come pick me up? I spent my last euro on this call. It's not too far, right?"

Sakura didn't reply. This was all she wanted. A way to find Sasuke - him actually asking her to get him.

"Sakura - can you?"

Sakura wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Sure Sasuke. I think I get to France."


End file.
